


Finally, My Family

by BouncyOrb



Category: Supernatural
Genre: M/M, Self Insert, We're getting hardcore self indulgent with this one folks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:01:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 10,678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28337367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BouncyOrb/pseuds/BouncyOrb
Summary: Dean was changed forever by what Castiel said to him. But like always, he had to keep on saving people even with the love of his life gone. On a routine hunt, he meets two kids that might just be able to help him find something that he's been praying for since he was a child.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester
Comments: 3
Kudos: 12





	1. Cold Grey Morning

**Author's Note:**

  * For [batlosers](https://archiveofourown.org/users/batlosers/gifts).



Getting back into the motions of hunting without Cas was strange. Dean still had Sam, and now he had Miracle too, but how could he not feel like there was something missing? Not to mention Jack was gone too. Not the same kind of gone, but he wasn’t around. He kept telling himself the same thing he’s been telling himself ever since dad didn’t come home from that hunting trip.

At least I still have Sam.

No matter how much was on his mind, Dean fell back into hunting easy as ever. Looking for leads online, next to Sam doing the same thing.

“Dean?” He looked up. Sam was trying to get his attention for a while now. “Find anything?”

“Oh. Uh,” Dean closed his laptop. “No. Nothing.”

“Well I think I did.” Sam turned his laptop to show him. “Couple of mysterious deaths in South Carolina, could be something.”

“Good enough for me.” Dean said, already headed out.

“Hey.” Sam called to him from the table. “You okay?”

“Sam, how many times have we done this?”

“Done what?”

“This.” He points to the floor. “This exact moment. We beat the bad guy, we lose somebody, we find a case, we ask each other if we’re okay.” Dean stopped to keep himself from tearing up. “Let’s just… skip it this time.”

Sam stood up and walked over to Dean, he put his hand on Dean’s shoulder. “Okay.”

“Okay?” Dean asked as his brother walked past him, taking Miracle to the car.

“Yeah. Okay.”

“Huh.” Dean watched him walk out of the Bunker. “That was easy.”

Even driving had lost a bit of its charm. Dean caught himself checking the rear view mirror, expecting to see him popping into the back seat with some cryptic clue to give before he popped away again. He looked back at Miracle sleeping in the back seat, imagining how comfortable he would be if he had somebody’s lap to be laying down on. Sam was quiet, he had to know how Dean was feeling right now. Of course he did, Dean thought, of course. At least there was a case. A job to get done. This was it, him and Sam, and the road. Some monster a few states away that needed to get dealt with. It was all Dean ever wanted. Or so he thought.

“So what’s on your mind?” Sam asked.

“I told you-”

“I didn’t mean it like that. Let’s just talk, y’know?” Sam leaned back into the seat. It was formed perfectly to him by now. “Not about… just talk about whatever.”

Dean kept his eyes on the road, smiling to himself.

“Okay. Let’s talk.” Dean had to take a moment to think of what he wanted to talk about. He knew what he really wanted to talk about, but something else. “Okay how about this. If you had to hunt just one monster for the rest of your life, what would it be?”

“Easy, vampires.”

“Really?” Dean asked with a laugh.

“Vamps are simple. Silver, garlic, stake, machete.”

“Yeah but they have nests, you’re never fighting just one vamp.”

“True.” Sam said, thinking about his answer. “What would you pick then?”

“I’m going classic ghost.”

“Ghost? Seriously?”

“Yep, ghost.”

“Okay, let’s hear it. Why ghosts?”

“They’re just enough to figure out before you hunt ‘em. Maybe its a poltergeist, maybe its attached to an object or a place. Hardly ever gotta deal with more than one at a time.”

“Wow.” Sam crossed his arms. “Okay.”

“What, ghosts aren’t good enough for you?”

“No, I just figured you would pick something more exciting than ghost.”

“Well we can’t all be like you, Rambo. I wanna live a long life, ghost-only hunting gig sounds like the way to go.”

The two of them laughed. It was the first time Dean laughed since…

“So you think we will?” Sam asked, looking out the passenger side window.

“What?”

“Live a long life.” Sam clarified. “I mean, when you think about it all the big bads are gone.”

“Hell yeah they are.” Dean gripped the steering wheel a bit tighter.

“I mean we’ve done some… insane stuff, Dean. And now that we just have no-name monsters to hunt-”

“We’re still not invincible, Sam.” Dean turned to his brother for a moment, so he knew he meant it. “Just because we took down the baddest sons’a’bitches there are doesn’t mean we get to cruise.”

“I know, I know, but think about it.” Sam said. “This is the first time in a long time that we don’t have to worry about something big coming after us, or the world ending, or having our future set in stone.”

Sam was right, and Dean had been thinking about it. No Chuck, no Lucifer, no more big boss villains to beat.

“I mean we finally have a chance to live some kinda life.”

“Some kinda life.” Dean said to himself. “Well I hope you’re right, Sammy. I mean I don’t…” he trailed off, hoping Sam didn’t hear.

“Don’t what?”

“Nothin’.”

“Come on, don’t ‘nothin’ me.”

“I just…” Dean debated dropping it, telling Sam to sleep until they got to South Carolina. “I have been thinking about it. Living a life. I mean how long has our lives been this?”

Sam stayed quiet and let Dean talk.

“I know we’ve talked about it a lot over the years, but it feels like now we really have the choice to just… stop.”

“Stop?” Sam tilted his head. “Stop what?”

“Hunting.”

“Oh.” Sam tried to read Dean’s face. “You got plans you haven’t told me about?”

“No, no plan yet. Just an idea.” Dean stared out at the road. “I kinda like the idea of not dying in some monster’s mouth.”

“Sounds like a plan to me.” Sam leaned his seat back. “Lemme know if you want me to drive.”

“In your dreams, kid.” Dean responded. He heard Sam chuckle. Best feeling in the world.

Dean thought about what he said to Sam. It’s strange to think about, deciding his own future. Dying fighting something always felt like the only way things were gonna go. The world has gotten so much bigger than it used to be, gods and alternate dimensions and things that nobody but him and his brother could have done. But now things felt like they were so much… smaller. It felt like the world has gone back to normal in a weird way. The kind of normal Dean hasn’t felt since before he went to find Sam at Stanford.

Ever since their first run-in with Michael, Dean always felt like he was too important to just give up the life. As if the entire world was on his back, and nobody else could carry it. Even with all the help he had over the years, Sam and Bobby and… Cas… that weight became a part of him. But now it was gone. He could walk away if he wanted. Sam could too, but Sam was always better for this life than Dean. They always knew it, an unspoken truth that neither of them really reached a final verdict on. Not out loud anyway. The truth that deep down, Sam belonged in this life just a little more than Dean did. Now he just had to decide whether or not he wanted to leave.

‘Welcome to South Carolina. Smiling faces, Beautiful places.’

As he crossed the border into the state, the road ahead of him felt just a little more open.


	2. Play the Game Tonight

The Bunker became their home over the years. Real bedrooms, a kitchen, it became a place for them to be safe. But as Dean pulled into a small, shoddy motel at the edge of town, the bustle of a busy highway in the distance and the glow of the neon “No Vacancy” shining over his baby, he felt just as at home than he ever did. He woke up Sam and took all the essentials into their room. Sam had the news articles on the murders open, going over things like he always liked to do before a job.

“Things look pretty weird here Dean. Could be a couple things but we’re gonna have to see the scene before we know for sure.”

“What is it a townhouse?” Dean threw himself back onto the bed.

“A school actually.” Sam read on. “A community college, not known for much before this handful or deaths.”

“Sounds like an easy play.” Dean tosses a fake FBI badge to his brother. “Let’s see what Agents Elric and Mustang can find at this school.”

“Elric and…” Sam looked up from the laptop. “Aren’t those names from-”

“No, I just made ‘em up.”

“That’s Fullmet- you watch anime?” Sam couldn’t stop himself from laughing.

“No I don’t watch anime, are you kidding me?” Dean opened up one of his duffel bags. “Wait, so how did you recognize their names?”

“I thought you made them up.” Sam said with a smile.

“Just shut up and put on your suit.”

Dean couldn’t deal with it. The way everything felt so damn normal. It was already pretty late, local cops were still going over a scene, looked new. Sam said it wasn’t in the news yet. This was everything Dean ever knew, following the trail of some ugly thing, keeping some small town nobodies out of its mouth. He felt like things went back to normal too damn quick. Like the world was suddenly so much quieter than it was before. It made him want to scream. For now, he stayed quiet and let Sam take the lead.

“Victim is one of the teachers.” A cop explained to the two “agents” as he led them into the classroom. “Found him here just about an hour ago, same M.O. as the other two.”

“Stab wound to the back of the head, right?” Sam asked.

“Yes, but we haven’t been able to figure out the weapon.”

Dean looked at the small hole behind the dead teacher’s ear. He looks back to Sam and mouths a single word to him.

“Wraith.”

Sam nods. He leads the cop out into the hallway so Dean can get a closer look.

“Always hated these things.” Dean inspected the puncture hole where the wraith drained the teacher’s brain fluids.

Not much to find on the body, just confirm that it was a wraith. Dean walked out to the hallway to find Sam, but he was gone. Empty school hallways are always unnerving at night, but Dean felt his heart start to pound. He knew it was irrational but Sam wasn’t here and he couldn’t handle it. Being alone. Being without someone he loved.

Thank god there was a strange sound to send him into fight or flight instead of dread. Dean drew his gun, without thinking about the fact he was in a school.

“Sam?” Dean called out. “That you?”

Dean heard voices, human voices it sounded like. He took a deep breath and put his gun away.

“Alright, come on, get out here.” Dean said in a tired tone.

Two college kids walked out from around a corner. One of them looked like they were sad they got caught. He was just barely taller than Dean was, but he looked like he didn’t want to be here. And the other was shorter and thinner, Dean couldn’t tell if she was anxious or eager as she tried to look past Dean into the classroom. Dean looked to the door to make sure she couldn’t see anything. Dean looked them over, they didn’t look dangerous. They’re kids, he thought, of course they aren’t. Then again, when he was a kid…

“Um… sir?” the taller one asked. “Are we in trouble?”

“I sure hope not.” Dean looked around. He couldn’t help but keep an eye on everything around him. “What are you doing here?”

“He was one of our teachers.” The short one answered. “We think something’s going on here.”

“No, Jo, you think something’s going on here.” Her friend chimed in. “I’m only here because I don’t want you to get attacked by whoever is killing people here.”

“Whoever or whatever.”

“You think this is a what, not a who?” Dean asked her.

“Maybe. What do you think?” she looked up at him with a face that looked like she was taking mental notes on everything.

“I think its past your bedtime. Both of you.” Dean pointed to both of them. “Get out of here, it’s not safe.”

“See?” the other kid said, already walking away from Dean. “Told you that psycho was still around here.”

“Michael, don’t you want to find out what happened here?” she pointed back at the classroom.

“Read about it in the paper tomorrow.” Dean turned to find Sam approaching. He felt that weight leave him again. “The officer saw someone, ran when he saw us. We lost him but I think we were right.”

“So it’s a-” Dean stopped to look back to Michael and Jordan, still not leaving. “It’s what we thought we were dealing with then?”

“And what would that be?”

“Please leave the cops alone.” Michael pleaded.

“Who are your friends?” Sam asked.

“Nothing to worry about,” Dean said leaning in towards both of them, “they were just leaving.”

The students walked off, Jordan kept her eyes on the “Agents” as they left. Sam gave Dean a look.

“What’s with the look?”

“Nothing.” Sam made sure the kids were out of earshot.

“So what you held a mirror to this guy?”

“It ran past a window, saw it’s real face.”

“Well now it knows we’re after it, we gotta move quick.”

Just as Dean finished speaking, a scream came from down the hallway. Sam and Dean looked at each other for a split second before they took off, running towards the sound. They ran outside the school building and Sam nearly barreled right through the two students Dean was just talking to.

“You two? I thought I told you to go home.”

“What was that thing!” Jordan screamed at Dean. “I saw that thing’s reflection and it was not a person!”

“You saw it?” Sam asked.

“It almost snuck up on us but I saw it in the window reflection.” Michael said. “It’s face looked like it was falling apart.”

“Damn.” Dean looked at Sam, asking him what to do.

“I’m not giving them the talk.” Sam said.

“Come on, you’re so much better at it.”

“What talk?”

“How old do you think we are?” Jordan asked incredulously.

Sam gave Dean a stern look. They gave civilians “the talk” enough times now to have the script memorized, but it was never easy telling people how terrifying the world really is.

“Okay.” Dean said, cheerily turning towards the students. “Who’s hungry?”


	3. Point of Know Return

Dean had gotten used to the idea of letting people into the car over the years. Having people in the back seat, in his seat, that felt wrong to Dean. Sam didn’t think they had to bring them along, but he knew it was the safer option. Michael and Jordan had figured out that these two weren’t FBI, but they still had no idea what they were.

“Where are we going?” Jordan finally spoke up.

“Eat.” Dean said. “World changing news goes down easier on a full stomach.”

“I didn’t bring any money.” Michael said. “I don’t… we don’t have to-”

“Our treat.” Sam cut him off.

“So that guy was… not just a guy.” Michael asked.

Sam and Dean didn’t answer.

“What was it?”

Still no answer.

“So are you two real people?” Jordan asked.

“Yes.” Dean smiled. “We’re human.”

“Oh god.” Michael held his head. “So that thing wasn’t human!?”

“I told you!” Jordan shouted.

“Jordan, I’m having a panic attack because weird creature thing just almost killed us both, and you give me an I told you so?”

“Yeah, you’re taking this really well.” Sam looked back to the two of them. “Have you seen stuff like this before?”

“Well I mean I believe in ghosts and stuff.” Jordan said. “So one more supernatural thing being real isn’t too much more to accept.”

Sam gave a concerned face before turning back to the road.

“It is just one more supernatural thing that’s real, right?” Michael asked, more and more panicked. “Right?”

Dean pulled into a diner parking lot. He groaned as he turned off the car, dreading the talk he was going to have to give. The talk went the same as any of the other talks. The disbelief, the panic, the part where they go quiet for a few minutes just to think. Eventually they got to Dean’s favorite and least favorite part. The part where they have questions.

“So what’s not real?” Michael asked, mouth full of pancakes.

“Huh.” Sam stroked his chin. “That’s… a good question.”

“Like, aliens? Ever seen those?”

“Nope.” Dean dug into his burger, barely paying attention.

“What about like, Mothman? Or Bigfoot?”

“Well that’s… I don’t think so, no.” Sam answered.

“Demons?” Michael went on.

“Oh yeah.” Dean answered again. “Big time.”

“Oh my god.” Michael said. “God! Oh my god! So god is real?”

“Well…” Dean tilted his head. “Short answer, yes.”

“And the long answer?” Jordan asked, not touching her food at all.

“It’s, well,” Sam paused to wonder if they would believe him if he told them, “a long story.”

“What about angels?” Jordan spoke up.

Dean flinched. He set his burger down on his plate. Sam turned away from him, trying to think of a way to end the conversation early.

“So that’s a yes?” Jordan asked.

“Yeah.” Dean said, almost whispering. “Angels. Bunch of dicks.”

“Dean.” Sam tried to calm him down.

“Nah, let’s give ‘em the long story actually.” Dean sat up straight in his seat. “Wanna know about God? Well his name is Chuck, he’s a bitchy, self-obsessed writer, he’s a massive douchebag, almost let the apocalypse happen a handful of times.”

“Apocalypses?” Michael’s eyes widened. “Plural?”

“Oh yeah. And dad wasn’t home for any of it, so we had to clean up the mess.” Dean gestured to him and his brother. “He let people die, killed a few of them himself, and he’s dead now.”

“Dead?” Jordan actually seemed phased.

“And I wish he wasn’t, just so I could watch that son of a bitch die again!”

The diner was nearly empty except for them, but Dean had everyone’s attention for a moment. Michael saw some of the kitchen staff peering in from the kitchen to listen to the crazy guy yell about God.

Michael leaned over to Jordan. “So you think these guys are crazy or…”

“We wanna help.” Jordan said. The entire table looked shocked. “What?”

“That’s a pretty quick turnaround, don’t you think?” Sam asked, looking between the two of them. “Usually people call us crazy and run off.”

“Told you.” Michael said. “Also, did you just volunteer me to help hunt down an inhuman monster that already killed 3 people?”

“Well you’re gonna help, right?”

Michael sighed. “I mean, yeah, but it would’ve been nice to say so on my own.”

“Okay, slow down.” Dean held his hand out to them. “You two aren’t going anywhere near this thing.”

“It came here.” Jordan said. “We’re not near it, it’s near us.”

“And if people are gonna die, we want to help stop it.” Michael said. He looked like he meant what he said.

“Also,” Jordan went on, “we’re probably gonna go after it anyway so it would just be easier to have your help.”

Sam and Dean looked at each other. Sam had a look Dean didn’t like.

“Oh no.” Dean shook his head. “Sam, no.”

“Look, Dean-”

“This was supposed to be quick and easy. Y’know what’s not easy? Having to teach two kids how to kill a wraith.”

“What’s a wraith?” Michael asked. “That’s what we’re trying to kill?”

“No, that’s what we’re trying to kill.” Dean pointed to Sam and himself.

“Dean can I talk to you?” Sam stood up. “Alone, for a second.”

Dean stood up and followed Sam away from the table.

“Sam this isn’t what we came here for.”

“I want a life too.” Sam said. Dean didn’t expect to hear that. “One day me and you, we’re gonna be out of the game. I don’t wanna go out in a fight, Dean. I want to live a life outside of hunting. I always have.”

“I know.” Dean was reeling. “I know, Sam.”

“And I mean in terms of hunters, me and you are no spring chickens. How much longer do you honestly think we have before we just… can’t anymore.”

“What does any of this have to do with these kids?” Dean pointed back at the table.

“Well.” Sam took a moment to gather his thoughts. “Dean, I think this is the next big thing for me. Saving people and hunting things, and I want to make sure there will be hunters after us.”

Dean looks back at the table. Then back to Sam.

“Maybe you’re right.” Dean looked down. “Hell, you probably are. But why them? Why now?”

Sam patted him on the shoulder and started on his way back to the table. “Why not?”

Sam and Dean sat back down with Michael and Jordan. Dean, again, was waiting for Sam to take the lead.

“If you want to help, you’ll need to hear a few things first.”

“Okay.” Michael said.

“We’re listening.”

“Okay.” Sam said. “This… life. Being a hunter.” He stopped to look to his brother. “It’s a hard life. And it’s not the kind that you can easily walk away from.”

“Once you start seeing monsters everywhere you look,” Dean cut in, “you’ll never feel safe unless you know how to kill ‘em”

“I can see that, yeah.” Michael slumped back into his seat.

“But,” Dean sat up, trying to look more authoritative, “there’s one important thing to know about all these things. Ghosts, wraiths, ghouls, vampires, demons, and everything else that goes bump in the night.”

The students looked at him, waiting for what he would say next. It was a look that Dean never expected to see directed at him.

He smiled. “They can all be killed.”


	4. Can I Tell You

Sam and Dean didn’t have much experience training anybody how to be a hunter. Most of the beginner stuff is easy, silver and iron and salt. It felt like classroom stuff, nothing Dean was comfortable with. But shooting guns. Dean could shoot guns.

“So have either of you used a gun before?” Dean asked his new recruits. Jordan and Michael both shook their heads. “Oh, well, that’s perfect.”

“Can we get this thing without a gun?” Michael asked.

“Yeah, we can kill it with anything silver. But a silver bullet is safer than a silver knife, so you’ll have to get some practice in.”

Dean walked back to the car, parked at the end of a long dirt road leading into the woods. He walked back with a pair of handguns, some spare ones he’d picked up over the years.

“Okay, so you get the general idea of all this right?” Dean said, handing the guns out.

“It’s-”

“Heavier than you thought it would be, yeah, that’s how it goes.” Dean steps out of the way. “Okay.” Dean gestures to the makeshift targets leaned against some trees. “Lemme see what you got.”

Michael took aim and squeezed off a few shots into the targets. He was surprised to actually land some.

“Well, I’ve seen worse.” Dean remarked.

“Oh I’m sure you were a sharpshooter on your first try.” Michael handed the gun back to Dean.

“Oh great, an attitude.” Dean took the gun from him. “Ok then, you next.”

Michael took a step back as Jordan took aim. Dean was about to give some instruction but before he said anything, Jordan fired off every round in the gun, nailing the target dead center every time.

“Jesus.” Michael reeled back. “Jordan what the…”

“What are you, military?” Dean asked. “Where did you learn to shoot?”

“Eh, it’s a family thing.” Jordan casually handed the gun back to Dean.

Dean and Michael shared a shocked look.

“Hey don’t ask me.” Michael said, throwing up his hands. “So do we have a plan to kill this thing now?”

“Well there’s not so much a plan as there is just…” Dean waved a hand at them, trying to buy himself some time.

“There’s no plan, is there?” Jordan asked, one hand on her forehead.

“Listen-”

“How long have you been doing this?”

“Longer than you, okay?” Dean snapped. “Now how about you two just wait in the car.”

“What are you gonna do?” Michael asked shyly.

“Car.” He said sternly. “Now.”

Jordan huffs and they both walk to the car. They get in the back seat and watch Dean make a call. Jordan crosses her arms and slumped in her seat.

“So… these guys seem…”

“What? Crazy?”

“Well yeah.” Michael said. “But I was gonna say he seems like somethings wrong or something.”

“Why should we care? They don’t want us around anyway.”

“I guess not.” Michael looks back at Dean, still talking on the phone. “So are we gonna tell them?”

“No.” Jordan replied, laughing.

“I wasn’t joking.” Michael turned to face Jordan. “I mean you’re basically throwing your perfect aim in Dean’s face.”

“Oh I’m overdoing it?” Jordan dramatically put her hand on her chest. “With the ‘Oh monsters are real? Oh my heavens, how incredible!’ You think he bought that?”

“I think it was a better act than yours.” Michael crossed his arms and turned away. “You still wanna stick around?”

“Well I don’t want that wraith to kill anyone else.”

“Yeah, me neither. But they look like they have it handled.”

“And what if one of them dies trying to help us?”

Michael took a second to react, he didn’t expect that answer. “Well what if one of us does?”

Jordan hung her head back. She didn’t seem as worried as Michael was. Dean walked back to the car and got behind the wheel.

“So now is there a plan?” Jordan asked.

“Zip it.” Dean started the car. “We’re gonna go meet back up with Sam, he’s gonna have a plan for us.”

“Is this how things usually go?” Michael asked.

“What, you mean a mess?” Dean pulled back onto the highway. “Yeah, but we usually win too so, y’know.”

Dean was quiet on the drive back to the hotel. He was quiet a lot these days. Sam always knew why he was quiet, what he was thinking about, but all the years of living with his brother taught him to wait until Dean was ready to talk. Unfortunately for Dean, Michael and Jordan hadn’t had those years.

“So you mentioned the apocalypse.” Jordan asked.

“Actually, he mentioned more than one.” Michael corrected.

“Yeah.” Dean sighed. “Yeah, there were a few.”

“Was that what all that weirdness was?” Jordan asked again. “Around ‘09?”

“Oh so you noticed?” Dean remarked. “Yeah, big bad battle between Michael and Lucifer.”

“Kinda funny to hear my name like that.” Michael said. “Always thought it was cool in Sunday school, that the most powerful archangel had my name.”

“Yeah well, he was a dick.”

“Was?” Jordan asked, suddenly very interested. “Michael is dead?”

“Yup. You’d be surprised how many characters from that book I’ve ganked.”

“You mean the bible?” Michael asked.

“Bingo.” Dean said cheerfully. “Angels, demons, God himself, the bastard. I was there when he kicked it.”

“So he’s…” Jordan felt herself choke up for a second. “So the real God is dead?”

“Well not dead dead. But he might as well be. And hey, new God is a pretty cool guy.” Dean said, smiling, eyes still on the road. “Look okay save the big questions for after we kill this wraith. Sam will explain the plan when we get back to the motel.”

“Why not tell us now?” Michael asked.

“Because I wanna be there when he explains it to you.”

“You…” Jordan thought about it. “Oh god, you don’t know the plan do you?”

“I know… that there is a plan.”

“Oh, great.” Jordan throws her hands up in frustration.

“I thought you guys said you were like professionals or something.” Michael.

“Shut it. Sam, hotel, plan, that’s what’s happening and if you don’t like it you can get the hell out of the car.”

“God, you sound like my dad.” Michael crossed his arms.

“Your dad sounds like a dick.” Jordan said.

“Well yeah, I guess marines are just like that.”

“Your dad was a marine?” Dean sounded like he was finally putting some actual thought into his words.

“Yeah. Big bad man in charge, ‘shut up and do what I tell you’ kinda guy.”

“Sounds like someone we know.” Jordan mocked.

Dean loosened his grip on the steering wheel. Dropped his shoulders. Leaned back into his seat. Thought about how he was acting, who he was acting like. He really did sound like him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you can't tell by now, the chapters are named after Kansas songs lmao


	5. Under the Knife

Dean was quiet all the way to the hotel. He hated that. He used to love talking to people, getting to know them. Especially hunters. Not that these two were hunters, he told himself.

“Dean.”

“Sam the man with the plan.” Dean sat on a bed. “Let’s hear it.”

“Okay. Yeah, I got a plan.”

“Okay.” Jordan said. “What’s the plan?”

“Dean,” Sam hung his head a bit, “you aren’t going to like the plan.”

“Okay next person that says the word plan is getting shot.” Dean said.

Sam stood up and stepped towards the door. “Can I talk to you for a second?”

“Nope.” Dean said casually. “We can talk right here.”

“Dean, come on, just-”

“What’s the plan, Sam?” Dean demanded. A moment of silence hung in the air.

“You know you just said…” Michael got severe looks from everyone in the room. “Okay, nevermind.”

“This thing wants the students.” Sam says. “We have some.”

“Sam, you-”

“They both know what they’re doing, and we’ll both be there too.”

“We don’t use live bait, Sam, come on!” Dean nearly exploded.

“Four on one sounds pretty good to me.” Jordan added. “I’m in.”

“No.” Dean stood up. “Nobody is in. Sam, new plan, now.”

“We got nothing to work with, Dean. We showed these kids how its done right? Why bother if we weren’t gonna let them put it to use.”

“I’m not gonna throw a couple of kids at a monster, Sam! Not like dad!”

The room went quiet again. Michael and Jordan looked at each other and backed away from the two brothers.

“You two, wait outside.” Dean pointed.

“Hey I got no problem-”

“Now!” Dean yelled back at Michael.

“Not like dad, huh?” Sam remarked. “It’s okay, you two. We just gotta…” Sam looked at Dean, then back at the two of them. “Y’know.”

Michael walked out of the room. Jordan followed, sighing. She followed Michael to a vending machine where he bought a soda.

“So what do you think?” Jordan leaned up against the machine.

“About what?”

“About them.” Jordan waved her arm back at the room. “I’m not sure what I expected from the legendary Winchesters but…”

Michael sat on the ground beside her. The harsh glow of the fluorescent lights hanging over him. “So.” He sipped his soda. “I guess he’s not really dead.”

“Whatever he is, he’s not… he’s not God anymore.” Jordan looked up at the sky. “Big boss upstairs is gone.”

“You mad at ‘em?”

“No.”

“You sure?”

“No.”

Michael held up his fist. Jordan bumped it.

“You okay?”

She sighed. “ Yeah. Yeah, I’m okay. I was ever really a big fan anyway.”

“I’ll drink to that.” Michael stood up, finishing his soda. “Apparently new boss is gonna be less hands on. I mean hey, no more rules from on high, right? Who’s gonna tell you what to do now?”

“Gemini mostly.” She said with a smile. “You’re probably gonna try too, I bet.” They both laughed. “What about you? Aren’t you worried they might put a bullet in you when we tell them?”

“Did they put a bullet in Sam?” He tossed the can from one hand to the other.

“I think they tried.” Jordan said. “At least a little.”

“Whatever. Besides, I bet we could take these clowns.”

“You remember the part about them taking down God, right? Like capital G.”

They laughed again. Michael tossed the empty can into the trash but he missed.

“So you’re okay?” Michael asked one more time, picking up the can.

“Yeah. Got by just fine without him up ‘til now. No reason that should change.”

Jordan helped him to his feet as Sam came out of the hotel room to get them.

“Is Dean good with the plan?” Jordan asked

“No. But he’s not gonna stop us.” He headed back inside. “Tonight, same place as the last attack. Wait for us in the car.”

“We just gotta show up as bait?”

“Yeah, me and Dean will handle the wraith. You just gotta bring it to us. And remember, don’t touch it’s skin.” Sam went back into the motel room.

“Think they’re gonna give us guns?” Michael asked.

“Nope.” Jordan got in the back of the car, behind the driver seat. “We don’t need ‘em anyway.”

Dean tried to talk on the drive back to the school. He was out of practice, he wasn’t very good about it. The new kids were, well, kids. Dean thought about them, he was about as old as dad was when he went missing, back when he went to find Sam. They weren’t like him. Maybe he wasn’t like dad. Then again maybe he was.

“So vampires?” Michael asked.

“Vamps are simple. Silver, garlic, stake, machete.” Sam explained.

“Okay, are we really calling them vamps?” Jordan asked. “What are we from 2003?”

“Okay, here we are.” Dean pulled up to the school. “You two know your parts?”

“Go stand out there until the thing comes after us.” Jordan said.

“Easiest gig ever.” Michael got out of the car. “Just don’t get us killed, okay?”

“Yeah, yeah.” Dean waved them off.

“A wraith.” Michael said. “I can’t believe they’re letting us think they need help with a wraith.”

“Oh you think you could take it?” Jordan took a seat on a stone bench.

“Oh please, a kid with a fancy fork could take it.”

“Look, these guys need our help and we…” Jordan took a moment to collect her thoughts.

“You’re not talking about the wraith are you?”

“Oh don’t be dramatic.” They both checked for the monster. “But no, I’m not.”

“So what he’s not gonna show up himself?” Michael stretched and yawned. “Sounds pretty dumb to me.” Michael laid down on the bench, looking up at the handful of stars he could see past the streetlights.

“Look ever since they did whatever they did, things have been very confusing for him. Especially now with the… new management. We just need to make sure they’re ok while he helps with the cleanup.”

“Can’t wait until I make you go on some crazy mission for one of my old friends.”

“You don’t have any old friends.”

They laughed again.

“There’s always Castor. He always wanted to-”

The two of them shot up when they heard a scream somewhere nearby. They ran off towards it before Sam and Dean could tell them to wait. They found a young woman, another student, being held down by the wraith.

“Get the hell off her!” Michael tackled the wraith.

Sam and Dean ran up and Sam handed pulled the wraith off of Michael and tried to stab it with a silver knife, but it grabbed his arm and held him back.

Dean ran to the young woman and helped her to her feet. He told the two kids to stay with the girl and ran to Sam. He pulled the wraith off of, and Sam called out for him as he grabbed it by the arm. Dean fell to the ground and dropped the silver knife, succumbing to the madness inducing powers of the wraith.

The monster rolled over on top of Sam and it extended it’s wrist spike. The wraith extended its wrist spike and thrust it down to Sam, who held the wraith’s arm back with his own, careful to only touch the monster with his sleeve. Just as Sam felt his arm start to buckle, Jordan thrust Dean’s silver knife into the wraith’s back. It slumped over and Sam pushed it away to check in on his brother.

“Dean!” Sam got on his knees and tried to snap Dean out of his hallucination. “Dean, hey!”

“Hey, is he okay?” The young woman asked. “What’s happening?”

“I don’t know.” Michael said, checking to see if the wraith was actually dead. “What’s going on?”

Sam tried to get through to Dean, but he was inconsolable, muttering to himself through tears. He banged on his own head and punched at the cold ground.

“Dean!” Sam shook his brother by the shoulders. “Dean! Dean, wake up! Dean!”


	6. With This Heart

“Wait, there is... There's one thing she's afraid of.”

Dean didn’t remember how he got on his hands and knees. He heard the banging at the door. Where was he?

“There's... There's one thing strong enough to stop her.”

Dean looked up, his vision hazy. He saw Cas. What was happening?

“When Jack was dying, I... I made a deal to save him.”

“You what?” Dean said. But it wasn’t him. He turned and saw himself standing in front of Castiel. He realized where he was.

“The... The price was my life.”

“No!” Dean tried to stand and grab Castiel’s hand. “Cas! No, don’t! Cas!”

“Why are you telling me this now?” the other Dean said. He looked back at himself and wished he could take his place.

“No! Stop it!” Dean screamed over them, they obviously couldn’t hear him. He shouted over them, praying for his legs to start working. “No! Not again, no!”

“Because the one thing I want...”

“Cas, please!” Dean grabbed on to his trenchcoat.

“...it's something I know I can't have.”

“You son of a bitch!” Dean screamed back at himself, his voice scraping his throat. “Say something!”

“But I think I know... I think I know now.”

Dean felt a powerful weight keeping him on the ground. He never wanted to stand up so bad in his life.

“Happiness isn't in the having. It's in just being. It's in just saying it.”

“I want to say it, Cas!” Dean screamed, quieter and quieter. “I want to…”

“What are you talking about, man?” he heard himself say.

“You idiot!” He snapped at himself. “Tell him! Just say it! Say it!” Dean sobbed and screamed, trying to drown out Cas, trying not to hear it again.

“That is who you are. You're the most caring man on Earth.”

“Please don’t…” he felt his mind fogging up. “Cas, don’t…”

“Why does this sound like a goodbye?”

Dean felt his stomach seizing up.

“Because it is.”

Dean felt it coming like the rain before a hurricane. The words that would give him the world and take it all away all at once.

“I love you.”

“Don't do this, Cass.” Dean spoke at the same time as himself.

“Dean.” A faint voice called out for him.

“Cas! Don’t go Cas!”

“Dean.” Closer this time.

“Cas I… I lo…”

“Dean! Wake up!”

Dean shot up like a bolt of lightning. He nearly knocked Sam over as he sprang to his feet. He looked around. He was at that school. There was a dead wraith, a scared girl, those two kids. He saw Sam.

“Dean, we got it.” Sam put a hand on his shoulder. “Are you…”

“Sam.” Dean was unable to hold back the tears. “Sam… Cas is… I can’t…”

“It’s okay, Dean.” Sam hugged him. He was surprised for a moment when Dean hugged him back. They held each other and Dean cried into his brother’s jacket.

Michael and Jordan stood and watched. Michael held up the girl with one of her arms over his shoulder. Jordan held Dean’s silver knife, ready for the monster if it gets back up. The girl was still hyperventilating.

“Are they okay?” she asked breathlessly.

“I think so.” Michael said. “Yeah, I think so.”

“That’s too bad.” The young woman said. Michael turned to her. “It’s gonna be so sad.”

“What is?”

“This.”

The woman pushed Michael down on his ass, and rushed at Jordan from behind. She put one hand on Jordan’s back, and the other on her hand, the one with the knife. Before Jordan could realize what the woman was doing, she had been pushed right up against Dean. And his silver knife was thrust into his back.

“No!” Jordan quickly pulled the knife out and grabbed the woman by her neck. Jordan growled at her, scowling at her pitch black eyes.

“Dean!” Sam screamed. He held Dean and slowly laid him on the ground.

“You son of a bitch!” Jordan squeezed the demon’s neck.

“Hey now,” it said with a grin, “had to get one last shot in before the buzzer.”

“Michael!” Jordan shouted as she pushed the demon into his arms.

Michael grabbed it by the shoulder, and put one hand over its mouth. He stared into it’s eyes, and it started to shiver. Sam looked up for just a moment to see the demon convulsing in Michael’s arms. He couldn’t worry about whatever was happening with them, Dean was bleeding out in his arms. His brother.

“Hang on, Dean. I’ll get you somewhere safe.”

“Hold up, Sammy.” Dean coughed. “I think this is strike three for me.”

“Shut up.” Sam said. He felt the blood soaking into his jeans. “You shut up, Dean.”

Sam looked back up to the kids. Michael laid the woman on the floor, black smoke dissipating around him. Jordan was shouting at him.

“I know you have one!” she shouted. “Hurry!”

“Yelling isn’t helping.” He answered, then he pulled out a vial of bright blue and white gas and tossed it to Jordan. And she drank it. Sam started to realize what these two really were when Dean pulled on his sleeve.

“Sam, I don’t…” Dean struggled for a breath. “I want you to know…”

“Tell me later Dean.” Sam said, tears welling up. “I’m getting you out of here.”

“Sam, move.” Jordan said, standing over them both.

Sam pulled his gun on her. “What the hell are you?” he asked. “Both of you?”

“There’s no time!” Jordan snapped her fingers and the gun disappeared from Sam’s hand. “Move, Sam.” Jordan rolled Dean over off Sam’s lap.

She laid a hand on the stab wound in Dean’s back. Sam watched her hand glow like it was burning from the inside out. Michael was standing over her, rolling the empty vial in his hand. Jordan’s face showed only a hint of the effort it took to finish what she was doing to Dean. Her face was turning red, her hand started to smoke.

“Jordan.” Michael called out.

“Shut up.” Jordan replied.

Sam looked on with a whirlwind of emotion flowing through him as Jordan lifted her hand from Dean’s back. She nearly fell over, but Michael knelt down and caught her. Sam’s mind lost all focus for a moment, then snapped right back to his brother. He leaned over and felt the wound. But there was no wound. Sam looked at the two kids with fear and relief.

Dean groaned. “What…”

“Dean.” Sam rolled him back over. “Dean. Dean, you okay?”

“Gimme a minute.” Dean sat up slowly. He felt for the stab wound and was also surprised to find it gone. “What the hell?”

“You…” Sam said to Jordan. “You’re… what the hell are you two?”

Michael was still holding her up. She was barely more conscious than Dean was. She sat up under her own power and Michael helped her to her feet. She took a few deep breaths, looked at Sam, then Dean, then Michael. She sighed and looked back at Sam.

“I’m not giving them the talk.” She said.

“Man, I suck at the talk.”

“Too bad.” Jordan took Dean by the hand and lifted him to his feet.

“You hungry, Dean?”


	7. Miracles Out of Nowhere

“I’m gonna take a wild guess.” Sam said just after the waitress brought them their food. “Neither of you are students.”

“What gave it away?” Michael said.

“Okay you two.” Dean stared them down. He hadn’t touched his plate. “You, I have no idea.” Dean said, pointing to Michael. “But you.” He pointed at Jordan.

“You know what she is?” Sam asked.

“Hard to forget what angel healing feels like.” Dean never took his eyes off her.

“An angel?” Sam nearly stood up from his seat.

“Part time.” Jordan said. “Quit a while ago.”

“And you?” Sam asked Michael.

“You remember Azazel?” Michael said, taking a bite of his burger.

Sam’s mind raced for a moment then he focused back on the kid. “You’re one of the psychics?”

“Bingo.” Michael said. “Can’t do much with them nowadays, but I can still take a demon and return to sender if I’ve had a shot of the good stuff.”

“Demon blood?” Sam tensed up.

“Don’t worry, worked out that whole addiction thing a while ago. Only in emergencies.”

“Just like that grace your friend here took a shot of.” Dean stared deep into Jordan. “Who’s was it?”

“Mine.” Jordan said. “Saved some up before I quit, just in case.”

“Did you know who we are before you found us?” Dean asked.

“Yes.” Jordan answered. “Who the hell doesn’t know the Winchesters at this point?”

“Yeah, you guys have been hard to steer clear of.” Michael continued. “Thanks for all the world saving, by the way.”

“Okay.” Dean leaned in. “One more question.”

“Yes.” Jordan said.

“What?”

“Yes, Dean. I know him.” Dean fell back into his seat. “I know Castiel.”

“Don’t…” Dean winced at the sound of his name. “You…”

“So you worked with him?” Sam asked.

“No, we just hung out by the water cooler upstairs. Knew him for a few thousand years, then he met you two.”

“Oh.” Sam said. “Uh, sorry.”

“Nah, we don’t miss him.” Michael said, mindlessly eating away. He didn’t notice Dean’s fists trembling. “He was kinda annoying, from what I hear.”

“Well maybe you should hear different.” Sam said. He knocked his hand against Dean’s, a sign for him to calm down. “Cas was a hero, he was family.”

“Always been a hard worker.” Jordan said. “Took him a while to get on the right side of history, though.”

“Wait.” Dean said. “Wait a minute.” He looked up at Jordan again. “You said you know him.”

“Yeah.”

“Not knew him. Know him.” Dean was staring into her again, but this time there was sadness. Regret. “Is…” A tear streaked down his face. “Is he…”

Jordan took a deep breath. “Yeah.” She said, almost nonchalant. “Cas is alive.”

“What?” Sam asked. “How?”

“Well the new boss missed having him around.”

“New… Jack?” Sam looked at Dean. “Could Jack do that? Bring him back from the Empty?”

Dean didn’t answer. He didn’t look at him. He didn’t even look like he was listening. He just looked up. He wondered how he couldn’t feel it before. He spent hours and hours every day just looking up, thinking about him, hoping that he could feel him somewhere out there. And now he can. He cried some more.

“Why are you here then?” Sam asked. “If Cas is alive where has he been?”

“Rebuilding heaven.” Michael said, now eating Jordan’s sandwich. “He’s new God’s second in command. Making some big changes.”

“Where is he?” Dean stood up. He nearly knocked over his chair. “Do you have a way to reach him? Can he- could I pray? Can he come here now?”

“Dean, he told me that what he’s doing is important. Fixing heaven, its probably gonna take a while to get it… huh.” Jordan looked out one of the windows.

“What?” Michael said, also looking out the window. “Oh.” Sam and Dean both turned around and looked out the window. They saw a man standing down the street from the diner, underneath a streetlight. He was wearing a beige trenchcoat.

Dean felt like he could finally breathe for the first time in ages, but at the same time he felt an ache in his chest. He didn’t look away as he walked towards the diner. Sam led the two kids away. He wanted to go say hello to Cas but he knew this was a moment he needed to give to his brother. Dean hardly noticed them leaving as Cas got closer and closer. He could start making out the features of his face. He saw Castiel’s gaze meeting his own. He entered the diner, the bell on the door jingling.

“Hello there” the stewardess said to him. “Here by yourself?”

“No.” Cas barely addressed her as he walked past her. He sat at the table.

Dean didn’t talk. He didn’t think. He couldn’t even breathe. He just looked at him. He just looked at him, and he looked back at Dean. Castiel, angel of the Lord. He was alive. He was here. He’s alive. Dean kept repeating to himself, he’s alive. He was crying just a moment ago but he felt so still. Like the world was finally settling around him. He’s alive.

“Dean, I-”

“I love you too, Cas.” Dean choked out. Cas smiled. Dean laughed. “Wow, okay. Can I try that again?”

“I’m sorry I didn’t come back, Dean.” Cas looked up.

“You’ve been redecorating, I hear.” Dean gestured to the door the others left through. “So you know that angel?”

“Dean.” Cas nodded his head. “We should talk.”

“That’s what we’re doing, Cas.”

“I mean it Dean.” Castiel laid his hand on Dean’s and in an instant they were somewhere else. Dean recognized the old barn they were both standing in.

“Pontiac?” Dean asked, laughing. “Little cliche, don’t you think?”

“Dean, I am so, so sorry.”

“Sorry?” Dean felt himself wake up as Castiel took his hand. His touch felt electric. “Sorry for what?”

“I thought I was going to die, Dean. I shouldn’t have put you through that. I shouldn’t have left you like that.”

“Cas, come on.” Dean pulled him in for a hug. He was alive. And he was hugging him.

“And when Jack brought me back, I didn’t know what to do.” Cas clutched Dean’s jacket in his hands. “I thought you might not… I thought maybe you didn’t…”

“Well I do, Cas.” Dean nuzzled into Cas. They rocked each other, slowly swaying in the warm night wind. “I… god I was about to sound like a chick flick just then.”

“You love chick flicks, Dean.” Cas said. Dean laughed.

“I just… couldn’t get you off my mind.” Dean felt himself about to cry again. “The only thing that kept me going, Cas, was knowing that after all this time…” Dean couldn’t stop the tears. Cas could feel his breathing get shaky. “After all this time I wasn’t just going crazy. Knowing that I really… meant something to you.”

“You mean everything to me, Dean. I love you. I love you more than anything.”

“I love you too, Cas.” Dean pulled away from Cas just a bit. Just enough to see his face in the moonlight. “More than anything.”

Dean never kissed another man before, but he thought about this for almost as long as he knew Cas. As he pulled Castiel’s face in towards his he didn’t know what to expect. Would it feel wrong? Would it feel uncomfortable? He had never been so scared of anything as kissing the man he loved. But when Castiel’s lips met Dean’s, he knew they were made to meet like this. Maybe at one time Dean would have said that they were destined to be together. But Dean has spent his whole life giving destiny the finger.

Dean and Castiel love each other because they chose to love each other. They fought to love each other. And here they are, finally loving each other like they always wanted. Nothing can keep them apart anymore.

Dean pulled away, his body reminding him to actually breathe. “Wow.” Dean never felt so alive.

“Wow.” Cas said. He never felt more human.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Btw I didn't put Cas in the listed characters bc I wanted to make his entrance a surprise!


	8. Perfect Lover

“Do they usually just poof away like that?” Michael asked.

“Yup.” Sam said. “They’ll be fine. You two, though.” Sam looked at them like a teacher looks at a late student. “What are you two gonna do now?”

“Well I was thinking we were gonna leave and go back to living our lives.” Michael said.

“An ex-angel and another one of Azazel’s psychics shows up and I’m supposed to just let you two go?” Sam asked. “Is that what you would do?”

“So, what, you’re gonna kill us?” Jordan asked. “We just saved Dean’s life, and we brought Cas back to him. You really think we’re not the good guys here?”

“Good guys.” Michael repeated mockingly. “Okay, let’s not stretch it, Jo. But we are here to help.”

Sam looked them over. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

“Okay.” Sam relented. “Fine, okay.” Sam thought for a moment. “So you two knew that thing was a wraith?”

“Yup.” Michael said.

“And did you know that me and my brother would find it?”

“Well we’ve been… following you two for a while.”

“What?”

“What, like it’s hard?” Michael scoffed. “You guys leave a trail of cold cases everywhere you go.”

“Also Cas was telling us where you were.” Jordan said. “He wanted us to check in on you.”

“Check in?” Sam said. “And why didn’t he-”

“Rebuilding heaven, come on.” Jordan said. “He’s in love with Dean but rebuilding heaven is like cosmic importance.”

“I mean he could’ve…” Sam trailed off.

“Would you?” Michael asked. Sam gave him a frustrated look. “Just sayin’.”

“Well you two obviously know your way around a monster.” Sam said. “So are you hunters or…”

“I am.” Michael said. “I think so, anyway. I would say so.”

“And you?”

“Nah.” Jordan answered. “Not a fan of 24/7 jobs like that. I mostly just… I dunno, enjoy living a human life.”

“Wow.” Sam said.

“Yeah you should try it one day.”

Sam was trying to think of more questions to ask them before they left when Dean and Cas poofed back into the diner. Holding hands.

“Hey you two.” Sam walked over to them. “So, this is finally a thing?”

“Yeah.” Dean smiled at his love. “Finally.”

“Thank you two.” Castiel said to the kids. “I appreciate watching over them for me.”

“Yeah yeah.” Jordan waved it off. Michael did a casual salute. “Don’t mention it.”

“Can we go now, officer?” Michael asked.

“Yes, you can go.” Cas answered for Sam.

“Have a good life, Winchesters.” Jordan said as they walked out of the diner.

Jordan and Michael walked outside and stood there for a moment in the night air. Michael loved when the night wind hit the perfect temperature, reminded him of a happier time. They found Jordan’s car waiting for them outside.

“Did Cas put that here?” he asked.

“I sure didn’t.”

They drove off. Something about the reunion they just saw made them feel better about things. They didn’t know what things, but they felt better.

“Those guys are…” Michael started.

“A handful.”

“Sure, that’s a word for them.” He leaned his head on the shaky window. “Think Cas is gonna invite us to his wedding?”

“I think I’m showing up whether I get invited or not.”

“Good call. I’m sure we’ll be far from the only non-humans at a Winchester wedding.”

“I can’t wait.”

Dean and Cas didn’t talk much on the ride back to the bunker. Sam offered to drive so they could sit in the back seat together. They just sat there, together. Holding each other. Looking up at each other every few minutes. Dean had so much on his mind. So much he wanted to say, things he’d been praying he could tell him if only he had the chance. And here it is, that chance dropped right in his lap. Cas was the only one who ever answered his prayers. He wanted to say so much, but he didn’t. He just sat there, next to Cas. With Cas. They were finally together. Together like they always wanted.

Castiel never thought he would see the bunker again. Miracle ran to Cas as soon as they walked in. Cas knelt down and petted the dog, happily patting his head. Sam walked off to find an excuse not to be in the same room as these two. Dean quietly walked Cas to his room and sat on his bed with him.

“So are we going to share a room now?” Cas asked.

“I’d like to, yeah.”

They sat in silence for a moment.

“Okay, why is this awkward?” Dean asked. “This is a good thing, this is finally happening, y’know? It’s everything I ever wanted, but I…”

“I know.” Cas said, leaning on Dean’s shoulder. “I’m not used to it either, being happy like this.”

“I just feel like I have to keep making jokes and… the usual bottled up emotions. But I don’t have to anymore.” Dean laid back on his bed. Their bed. “It kinda scares me.”

“I know.” Cas lays down with him. “I want you to be able to tell me how you feel Dean.”

“I know.” Dean said, his voice wavering. “I know what I want to say I’m just not used to… saying it.”

“It’s okay, Dean. We don’t have to rush this. We have time now, Dean.”

“We finally have time.” Dean pulled Cas closer to him. “I’ve never had time before.”

“I’ve been alive a long time, Dean. And time never really meant that much to me. Just watching the earth spin for centuries at a time. But then I found you. I raised you from hell. And the moment I touched you, I felt something unique.”

“I’m sure that unique thing was my bad attitude.”

“I think so.” Cas patted Dean on the shoulder. “At first anyway. But ever since I met you it feels like time itself is… slowing down for me.”

Dean turned to look at Cas. He was looking up at the ceiling and smiling.

“The years don’t pass me by anymore, Dean. Time isn’t moving on without me, it’s like I finally have the chance to be here. To have a life for myself.”

“It’s incredible, Cas.” Dean said to him. “How… big you are. The scale of you, it just… it blows me away.” Dean moved in closer to Cas. “To think that something as big as you could ever love something as small as me, just some guy, human.”

“Well.” Cas gave Dean another kiss. “I always was fond of humans.”

“I love you Cas.”

“I love you too, Dean.”


	9. Carry On

Dean’s alarm went off. Even in semi-retirement, there are some habits he can’t kick. He wakes up to Castiel’s face, peaceful in his sleep. He stops the alarm and lays back down. He runs his hand over Cas’ face. Before he could decide whether or not to wake him up, Miracle jumps onto the bed and starts to lick both of their faces. Cas wakes up laughing, pushing Miracle away from his face so he can kiss Dean. In everything Castiel has ever experienced in all of existance, kissing Dean in the morning was still his favorite thing. Dean got out of bed and got dressed for the day, Cas stayed in bed with Miracle.

“No plans.” Dean said, fixing his hair in the mirror. “What do you wanna do today, babe?” Dean asked him. 

“You’re looking at it.” Cas said with a smile.

“Oh, come on.” Dean sat down on the bed. “Great big world out there and you wanna stay in bed?”

“I want to stay in bed with you.” Cas said.

“Hey, don’t tempt me.” Dean leaned in and they kissed again. Dean turned away when he heard the door to the Bunker creak open then closed. “Sammy’s home, breakfast time.”

“Go on ahead, I’ll get dressed.”

“So we’re gonna tell him today?” Dean asked nervously, looking himself over in the mirror.

“Yeah.” Cas said. “Why, do you not want to tell him?”

“Of course I want to tell him.” Dean said. “I just…”

“What’s the worst that can happen, Dean?” Cas said, sitting up in bed.

“I don’t know.” Dean hung his head. “I don’t know.”

“If you don’t want to tell him yet-”

“No, Cas, I want to tell him. I do.” Dean walked back over to the bed. He pet Miracle and thought for a moment. “It’s okay, I’m okay. Just nervous.”

“Me too, Dean.” They kissed again. “Wait for me to get dressed, I want to be there when you tell him.”

Dean walked out to meet Sam. He had just gotten back from his morning run.

“Morning.” Sam said as he sat down and finished off his water bottle.

“Morning.” Dean sat down next to him. “Any plans today, little brother?”

“Yeah, actually. Got wind of a vamp nest a few states away. Should be two days trip, max.”

“You want some help?” Dean asked. “I don’t have anything to do today.”

“No, Michael says he’s gonna meet me there. He’s the one that found them.”

“And he asked you for help? That kid can handle a few vamps.”

“He can.” Sam walked to the fridge and grabbed another water bottle. “He said I should come along just for fun.”

“Well, who am I to intrude on another Psychics Anonymous meeting.” Dean walked into the kitchen. “How does scrambled eggs sound for breakfast?”

“Oh, uh, you don’t have to do that.”

“No, it’s my treat.” Dean took a pan out of a cabinet.

“Dean.” Sam walked over to him and put a hand on his shoulder. “Listen.”

“What’s going on?”

“I don’t know how to tell you this Dean.” Sam looked his brother in the eyes. “You overcook them.”

“What?” Dean squeaked out. “You’re crazy, my eggs are perfect.”

Sam laughed with his brother. “Sure thing, Dean. Eggs sound great.”

“I love his eggs.” Cas said as he walked into the room, wearing one of Dean’s jackets.

“You’re biased.” Sam said with a smile.

Cas helped Dean make his eggs. Dean was helping him learn how to cook. Cas just wanted more things to listen to Dean talk about. They all sat down and shared a meal together. As a family. Sam even gave some of his eggs to Miracle. Sam offered to take everyone’s dishes, like always, and Dean and Cas gave each other nervous looks as Sam walked past them.

“Okay, you two.” Sam leaned on the table. “What’s going on?”

“Wow, that obvious, huh?” Sam’s expectant expression didn’t change. “Okay, Sam. Okay. Me and Cas, we got to talking and-”

“Oh my god, you’re getting married.” Sam exclaimed.

“Ugh.” Dean threw his hands up in frustrations. “Dude, I had this whole speech planned.”

“I told you he would know.” Cas said.

“You guys!” Sam opened his arms and invited them in for a hug. “That’s so amazing, congratulations!”

They stood up and hugged Sam. Dean held them both close.

“I’m so happy, Sam.” Dean was crying. Tears of joy this time. “I never thought I would ever be this happy, Sammy.”

“You deserve it, Dean.” Sam couldn’t stop himself from crying too. “You too, Cas.”

“Thank you, Sam.” Cas said, wiping his tears on Dean’s shoulder.

“My family.” Dean pulled them both in even closer. “This is my family.” Dean’s voice shook. For the first time in a long time, maybe for the first time in his life, Dean was looking to the future with excitement and joy. He gave Cas a kiss on the cheek. “Finally. My family.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoyed this! It was quite a journey to write, especially being my first Supernatural fic. I especially hope that you had a good time reading it, Jo. Hopefully I got your character down good. Despite the late nights, this was such a blast to create. Also if any of you judge me for making a self insert spn character I will find you and move all of your furniture 4 inches to the left. Thank you all for reading! <3


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